Stiffer Fines Proposed For Chicago Cyclists, Could Seattle Follow?

CHICAGO (CBS) – Cyclists who violate traffic laws or motorists who open their doors in front of people on bikes would face steeper fines under a measure Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced to the City Council on Wednesday.

Under the mayor’s plan, the fine when cyclists disobey traffic laws would go from a flat $25 to a range of $50 to $200, depending on the violation.

“If they are sharing the roadway with vehicles, cyclists must obey all traffic laws, including yielding to pedestrians, stopping at traffic signals and indicating when they are making turns,” Mayor Emanuel said. “When the traffic laws are obeyed, everyone is safer. By increasing the fines for failing to obey the law, cyclists will behave more responsibly, increasing safety and encouraging others to ride bikes.”

The mayor’s proposal would also double the fine for “dooring” cyclists – by opening a vehicle door into their path – to $1,000.

The fine would also double, to $300, for anyone who leaves a car door open in traffic.